Ice and Steel
by El Timo
Summary: After a menos appears Captain Hitsugaya and Zaraki are sent to purify it. They have to work out their differences if they want to survive. rated for violence, hint of spoiler, complete.
1. Something Else

Well here it goes with my second story, read and review. No it is not a love story, I don't do those. This is more a kind of action adventure kind of thing. I don't mean to alienate anyone but I'm just not good at romance. Of course I haven't tried, I'll see where it goes. And why would I write this after a cowboy bebop fic I have going, writer's block mostly, the rest I blame on indecision. So read some bleach and enjoy.

Chapter 1

Something Else

" This is 20th district, Adrome Town, Soul Reaper Jaren Yoshino, reporting a Menos in the area! I repeat a Menos has been sighted in Adrome town. Send backup immediately! Bombard Rangitsu!"

Toushiro Hitsugaia, Captain of squad 10, listened to the recording of last transmission from Soul Reaper Yoshino and looked up at the bulk next to him. Captain of 11th squad - the so called Zaraki Corps – Kenpachi Zaraki stood next to him with a bored impassive look.

" That last part is release of Yoshino's Zanpakto. He was on duty at Adrome town and since this tranmission all communication has been lost," stated captain Commander Yamamoto sternly. "You two have been selected to go to Adrome town and check this claim."

" Sir may I ask why two captains are being sent as opposed to a Vice-captain or lieutenant?" Toushiro was pretty sure he knew the answer but wanted to make sure.

Yamamoto fixed them with a stern glance, " We believe the hollow is an adjuchas class." There was a moment of silence to let this sink in. " You are both to leave immediately. Dismissed," the commander waved them away.

Kenpachi smiled, maybe a good fight was in store he thought. Toushiro grimaced, he was being sent on another mission. The two captains bowed to their commander and left the room. They walked down towards the Senkai Gate in silence. Kenpachi broke the silence about halfway there. " So you're the child prodigy Captain Hitsugaia, huh?"

" Yeah, what's you're point?" Toushiro was getting tired of this reference. He was good at fighting what difference did it make if he was still very young. All he wanted was the respect that came with his rank. " You're the fighting obsessed Captain of 11th, Kenpachi?" Toushiro asked sarcastically.

" Yeah, so when the fighting starts just stay out of my way," Kenpachi said completely serious. The bells in his hair jingled with every step and the scar down the left side of his face made Toushiro uneasy but he kept himself to himself as he walked next to the gaint.

" KEEEEEENNNNNN-CHAANNNNN!!!" Toushiro looked over and saw a small girl with pink hair and a zanpakto entirely to big for her, running at him at full speed. He moved to the side at the last moment and she ran past leaping at Kenpachi. Kenpachi caught her in a well practiced move and equally well practiced move she crawled around and hung on his shoulder. Kenpachi didn't even register the extra weight, he just continued walking. When the girl spoke her voice was high and bright, "Ken-chan are we gonna go on another mission? I'm tired of fightin' hollows, I wanna nap instead."

" **We** aren't going on a mission. Me and captain of 10th squad are going on a mission. You can take your nap, make sure Ikkaku takes care of the squad business." Kenpachi ordered.

" Ikakku-san and Renji-san are off training, that doesn't mean I have to do it does it?" The girl cried in protest.

" Then make Yumichika do it I'm sure he's not doing anything," Kenpachi seemed slightly annoyed but held his composure.

Toushiro realized that the small girl was 11th squad's vice-captain. What was her name? Matsumoto always spoke of her after the women's vice captains meetings she went to. What was it? Toushiro tried to dredge up one of their conversations in his memory. The biggest problem was he didn't really listen to Matsumoto when she started rambling. Yachiru, that was it Yachiru Kusajiki. The little girl from squad 11, with pink hair and a love for candy.

" Okay Ken-chan, have a good fight," Yachiru yelled and then ran off as fast as she had came.

"Your vice-captain is something else," Toushiro remarked watching her run off. Kenpachi was about to make a remark back at the young captain when a new voice from behind them made them both turn.

"Captain, you're going on a mission to the real world, right? I don't see why else you would have met with Captain-Commander Yamamoto, it seems that would be the only reason I can think of," a young woman with a very large chest was walking towards them. "And you're going with 11th squad captain so that means you're definitely going on a mission. Well while you're there could you get me some stuff?"

Kenpachi recognized Vice-Captain Rangiku Matsumoto as she listed off stuff Toushiro was to buy for her in the real world. Kenpachi's evil grin returned to his face when he saw that Toushiro was annoyed and frustrated. Yachiru was a little odd as far vice-captains were concerned, but she was no stranger than Rangiku.

"Matsumoto, please be quiet," Toushro said in a quietly annoyed voice.

"And these pink socks that I've – oh, umm, yes Captain," Rangiku stopped abruptly at her captain's order. "Right I've already got all the squad business under control, I handle anything that comes up while you're gone," she said and began to stroll towards squad 10 headquaters. " Remember the pink socks," she said with a wave and walked around corner and out of sight.

Kenpachi looked down at the young captain, "Pink socks huh? I'd say **your** vice-captain is - what did you say? Something else?"

Toushiro sighed and began to walk towards the Senkai Gate. Toushiro liked irony except when it wasn't in his favor. Kenpachi laughed and turned to follow the smaller captain.

"Menos Adjuchas, huh? Done anything like this before?" The silence had been funny at first but as they walked into the Senkai square it had become to much and seemed awkward. Kenpachi had to say something to sooth over the ruffled feathers caused by their vice-captains.

"Nah, I ended up fighting a Menos Gillian during my entrance exam. That's how I got to captain rank right out of the academy," Toushiro looked at the Senkai Gate and realized how short he was. It wasn't his first time in the real world, for some reason he seemed to be the captain sent to the real world most often. Toushiro mentally prepared himself for the mission to come, hopefully squad 12 would be ready with the limit release the first time they needed it this time. Toushiro laughed, Kenpachi looked down at him. "Sorry, thought of something funny," Toushiro explained. It was a joke, squad 12 had a terrible track record for having the staff ready for quick action things like a limit release. Like they would ready or there would be any difference from any other mission.

Toushiro's reverie was broken by the chanting of men opening the Senkai Gate. "Well, ready for this Captain Zaraki?"

"This is what I do kid," Zaraki replied being as informal as possible after being referred to by rank. "This is what **we** do."


	2. Menos Adjuchas

Okay, well people read the first chapter and liked the direction it was going so now I'm kinda rushing this chapter, hopefully it won't suck because of that. I really hope this chapter lives up to expectations set by the first chapter. I would like to thank everyone who gave reviews they were a great confidence booster. So once again read and review.

Chapter 2

Menos Adjuchas

Kenpachi and Toushiro came out of the Senkai gate in a semi-dark alley, trash cans and a small cat were the only welcoming party. Kenpachi checked himself and his Gigai over. He was dressed in baggy blue cargo pants, a grey tank top and leather jacket. Toushiro was wearing a black polo shirt and a white pants. Both wore a pair of slightly worn converse tennis shoes.

"Let's split up and look-," Toushiro started to say. Both stiffened as a massive wave of spiritual energy hit them.

"Well kid, drop the bodies here and let's get to it. It knows we're here and inviting us to a duel," Kenpachi said. In a flash he was in spirit form and running down the street towards the source of the spirit waves.

"Wait you need to hide these, we should stay together, hold on!" Toushiro cried out in protest while trying to drag kenpachi's body out of sight. Once it was hidden behind a trash can he changed in to spirit form too and chased after his partner.

Kenpachi ran down the street ignoring all the people around him and focused on getting to the fight as quickly as possible. He felt it, around the next corner the menos would be in sight. Kenpachi rounded the corner.

Toushiro jumped from building to building following after Kenpachi. For not having shunpo he could move fast. He closed in on Zaraki and the menos, just over the building. Then he saw it. Toushiro was looking a monstrosity, in the wide boulevard stood the Menos Adjuchas.

The menos was a giant, smaller than a gillian but still large, it was vaguely humanoid but had white branch like attachments all over it they moved around crisscrossing and spinning. It was odd they were not like tentacles but really like tree branches stiff and jointed. Its the branches grew from the black mass of it's body. The only other white was its leaf shaped mask. Kenpachi looked at it and couldn't help but laugh, surely a tree couldn't become a hollow. It pulsated with raw spirit energy and power.

Kenpachi smiled as he unsheathed his sword. "Hey Kid, why don't sit this one out, call squad 12 and ask for the limit release," he shouted to Toushiro who, he noticed, had appeared on a roof nearby. He released a yell as he charged at the tree like hollow. The hollow's black eyes narrowed on Kenpachi as he charged, its branch criss-crossed and spun faster creating a shield around its body. Kenpachi was hardly aware that it had happened as he swung his sword down on the shield. Several branches broke and flew in all directions, Toushiro ducked as one flew over his head, they stuck in the walls all around the boulevard and two planted themselves in Kenpachi himself, one in his left arm and the other in his kidney area. Kenpachi laughed again and stabbed his sword into the spinning shield right at the mask. More branches broke off and flew. Another flew into Kenpachi's right thigh. He jumped back pain flaring through his recent puncture. He stared at the spinning, watching each branch as it spun. There! He caught the pattern and charged forward again. With a roar he slashed his sword left stopping a larger branch that wouldn't break, he spun inside the shield through the gap he made and slashed at it's mask intending to kill it in one fatal blow. Before he could comprehend what was happening Kenpachi found himself flying backwards. He landed on the street and sliding and flipping backwards.

Toushiro was on hold with squad 12 awaiting permission for limit release and saw what had happened. After Kenpachi had blocked one branch, another had also stop and all the sticks on it stiffened and stabbed into Kenpachi as he had spun puncturing and grabbing and hurling him backwards. Toushiro looked back at the hollow as it released an earth shattering roar.

Toushiro decided he had sat around long enough. "Reign over the frosted heavens; Hyorinmaru!" A dragon made of ice burst forth from Toushiro's sword encircling him as his sword froze and a chain with a crescent blade attached fell to the ground. Toushiro yelled and swung down at the hollow, the dragon following the direction of his blade. It hit the shield of spinning branches ice forming all around and over it. Toushiro jumped down aiming for his sword to cut through the hollow in two. The ice shattered sending shards flying through the air, Toushiro was suddenly on the defensive blocking shards flying at him. Then he saw white stakes flying at him. Toushiro eyes widened, instinct took over and he crossed his arms in front of him. Luck then took the place of instinct and the ice dragon flew between Toushiro and the white points flying at him. The dragon took the blow but flew backwards, knocking Toushiro into a nearby store.

The dragon burst and melted away Toushiro struggled to stand. He saw a growing pool of blood around Kenpachi who seemed unconscious. Squad 12 was taking too long and even his bankai wouldn't help him with his limiter still in effect. Toushiro made a decision, his shikai had failed and his partner was unconscious. He took an attack stance, the hollow started to make his branches spin faster its shield becoming stronger. Toushiro eyed the hollow. He dropped his stance and ran towards Kenpachi. Lifting him onto his shoulders Toushiro jumped away retreating to another part of the city to hide and recuperate. The hollow had this fight and there wwas noting toushiro could do.

For now.

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Yeah I know cheesy ending and all that but you have to have more incentive to read the next chapter. Read and Review please. I'll try to have the next chapter out by the end of this month. I might be getting a job so that'll eat up my time in addition to my college classes. So like I said, end of the month.


	3. Arguments

Okay I got this out faster then I figured I would, I really dig this chapter. I would have taken it farther but well you'll see. Anyway if I can recklessly give away info about myself, I got the job I wanted. It's at Earthbound Trading Company a mall store if you've never been to or seen one. I don't know if they're nationwide or not but I know they are all over Texas. So if you're in the DFW area stop by the Hulen mall location and ask for Tim. Mention this story and I'll see if I can get you some cheap incense P. Anyway read and review and apparently I need to say something about not owning bleach. I don't all characters belong to Tite Kubo.

-Tin Tim Time

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Chapter 3

Arguments

Kenpachi awoke, staring at ceiling rafters; they were green and had bare metal sheets forming a roof. He looked to the left and right and saw walls that were made of the same bare metal. He was in a dark warehouse, an odd place for hell to be. Then he saw Hitsugaya sitting nearby and realized what hell really meant.

"So are you the devil or just a puppet for him to torture me with?" Kenpachi asked.

"You aren't dead, and you should be thanking me for saving your life. Those spikes were in you deep. They missed vital stuff and you should be good for a fight," Toushiro caught on and snapped at Kenpachi.

"Good," Kenpachi said. He stood up and walked towards the door. A wall of ice grew across the door blocking his way. He looked at Toushiro who had cast the technique.

"I'm not letting you go in blindly and get torn up again. Especially since I **just** patched you up," Toushiro was easily annoyed and recklessness was not something he tolerated. "We need to make and plan of attack and tackle this thing the smart way."

"Look kid, you are obviously not aware of my squad's philosophy on fighting, so let me clue you in," Kenpachi growled, ignoring the vein pulsing on Toushiro's head at being called a kid. "We fight one on one, no team effort or planned out strategy. Straight head to head fights with one thing in mind; victory means living, defeat means death. So if you don't mind I'm going."

"Binding technique level 10: Sai," Toushiro almost whispered. Kenpachi fell over as if suddenly a weight had been dropped on him. "See what brute strength gets you? You can't even stop a simple binding technique." Toushiro closed his eyes and shook his head. He was getting angry that Kenpachi wasn't even trying to listen, "how you ever became captain I'll never know. Now we need to make a pla-…" Toushiro stopped, his spirit power changed like he had stopped the technique.

"You need more than that to stop me. I'll be going now," Kenpachi said resolutely and once again marched towards the door. The technique had caught him off guard, but he was still a captain in the 13 protection squads. He only had to flex his muscles to break it. "Are you coming? I need someone to call for the limit release."

Toushiro's temper reach boiling point, "What do mean need someone to call for limit release? Do it yourself you great big asshole! I am not your dumbass pink haired secretary!"

Toushiro suddenly knew instinctively he had crossed some invisible line. He ducked and jumped backwards moments before a fist passed through the air where his head had been. Kenpachi was not smiling like he did in most fights, you could insult him, his fighting style or his squad. They showed their value when necessary and put those insults to rest. But no one insulted Yachiru in front of him. Not some bum on the street, not some little piss-ant captain, not even commander-captain Yamamoto. She was the closest thing he had to a family.

Toushiro was suddenly very afraid. Kenpachi fighting the hollow with a smile had unnerved him. The anger his face showed now was much, much worse. Toushiro barely dodged another punch before a vicious right hook caught him squarely on the jaw, sending him flying across the warehouse. He caught himself and managed to land on his feet. But it wasn't over, the mass of squad 11's captain was barreling towards him. He was kicked in the stomach and doubled over in pain. Kenpachi's fist beat Toushiro into the ground.

"Bankai…Daiguren Hyorinmaru!"

Kenpachi jumped back as an ice dragon flew up. Toushiro had a trail of blood from his mouth and was looking pissed. "Okay you big idiot, you've pushed me." Toushiro flew at Kenpachi at lightning speed. Swinging his sword as he flew. Kenpachi's zanpakto was out in a flash, ice and steel collided with a burst of energy. Toushiro swung spun hitting the big captain with his tail, and slashing across his torso. Kenpachi blocked both attacks, one with his arm the second with his sword. He jumped back and looked at the arm that had blocked the tail. Ice had engulfed it and was already making his hand and fingers numb. He broke the ice as squeezed fist together. He charged the dragon boy with a ferocious yell. Stabbing straight at the kid, he left little room for a dodge, but soon found his opponent above his sword flying in the air. Toushiro flew downwards like a hawk and made a hit and run attack on Kenpachi. Kenpachi managed to get his sword up and deflect the blow. Toushiro came around and dived again, but Kenpachi was ready this time and sidestepped slicing off one of Toushiro's wing as he went by. Toushiro spun in the air before hitting the ground. Two of the flowers behind him had disappeared and now the third began to dissolve more quickly.

Toushiro looked at Kenpachi and sighed. He sheathed his sword and the ice around him disappeared. This wasn't like him, letting his anger get the better of him, Toushiro admonished to himself. "Fine, go get yourself killed," Toushiro waved off his opponent. He didn't care and wanted the brawler out of his way. He could do this alone.

Kenpachi watched as the kid captain walked out the door and around a corner. Kenpachi's blood was up and the quip about Yachiru still stung. "Whatever I don't need that punk," he said to himself. Kenpachi was the best fighter in soul society he didn't need a Bankai like al the other captains and his brute strength had got him into the Seireitei and to captain status of squad 11. He had taken only the strongest fighters starting with Ikkaku and Yumichika, only the strong had survived and the best fighters in soul society now belonged to squad 11.

Kenpachi spit on the ground and walked out the opposite side of the warehouse. He would have to kill the hollow himself, well more glory for him, and forget the kid.

Crap, that means he would have to figure out how use the cell phone.

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Okay, I'm going on hiatus for a while. I do I have to work now XD.


	4. Round Two

I don't own bleach (not even stock shares) or it's characters.

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Chapter 4

Round two

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Kenpachi was back in his gigai, and he had two problems; the gigai was very constraining and he couldn't find the most powerful hollow in the area. He picked up a few stares as he walked down the street, but didn't really care as he was lost in thought.

He was trying to figure out how to find the menos and was coming up with a blank. He had tried his phone but got frustrated and threw it into a wall. It shattered with a burst of spiritual energy and sparks of electricity. So that wasn't an option anymore. Kenpachi briefly thought about trying to sense the hollow's spiritual pressure but he no idea how to go about doing that and didn't know how to feel out spiritual pressure in the first place. He had been searching around town on foot for some time and was beginning to come to a conclusion he didn't really like.

He was going to have to find Toushiro.

Kenpachi didn't relish the idea of finding the snot nosed kid. Especially seeing as he would no doubt want to plan out an attack strategy or something. Kenpachi had no talent for strategy or tactical planning. It was brute strength versus more brute strength. No planning, just hack, slash, and cut until the other person stopped moving. That was Kenpachi's personal philosophy in battle and his squad's creed. Just a bunch of brawlers fighting to the death. After all, weren't shinigami nick-named death gods for a reason?

But without a way to find the menos and getting pretty lost himself, Kenpachi decided it might be time to just throw in the towel and listen to the kids plan. It wasn't like he had to follow it, right?

Toushiro leaned against the wall looking at his phone. The thing was useless, it hadn't beeped, buzzed or rang all day. He was starting to feel uneasy, there was just no way a powerful hollow could be walking around and no traces of it pop up at all.

Toushiro closed his phone and stared at the sky. Even if the hollow did show up what was he going to do. A kid captain with no backup against one of the most dangerous hollows he had ever seen. He cursed his luck, it was all that damn Kenpachi's fault. If he had just listened to him and worked with him they may already be back in soul society.

A sudden buzzing in his pocket broke his reverie, and he pulled out his phone and checked the radar. A massive spiritual power was headed this way. The unidentified meant it wasn't Kenpachi, which meant it had to be the adjuchas. Closing his phone he leapt out of his gigai leaving it in some hedgerows and rushed towards the blip on his radar. He called up squad 12.

"This captain Hitsugaya of squad 10 requesting limit release on myself and a spiritual lockdown for a diameter of one hundred meters around me."

"Squad 12 receives request and is waiting for confirmation. One moment please."

One moment please? Toushiro ran those words through his head a couple times. It was like he was ordering some stupid TV shopping network stuff, he was being put on hold. If Toushiro didn't like Kenpachi he detested Mayuri Karotsuchi. He was cowardly, unpredictable and just… creepy. He sat in his office or lab consumed by his own deviations and crazy ideas. Supposedly he was building some sort of artificial shinigami to help him. Toushrio prayed against another artificial souls incident.

And right now he has me on hold Toushiro thought. He felt his anger boiling up again. I risking life and limb out here and my life depends on whether or not Mayuri can be distracted at the moment. Toushiro hated the injustice of life-after-death.

"Squad 12 responding to limit release request. Permission granted."

"Thank you," Toushiro responded and hung up he felt his true strength flooding his body and soul. Hyorinmaru began to hum in its sheath. Toushiro watched the tattoo of the flower on his arm slowly dissolve. He felt a cool breeze and embraced it dropping his body temperature below freezing as he charged over buildings towards the fight to come. He hated fighting but this was his job and he had some pent up anger to release.

He heard a concussive crash boom of the menos going after some innocent prey. And then saw a red flash indicating a cero blast. The shockwave slowed the shinigami for a moment but then Captain Hitsugaya's flash step increased in urgency as he sped toward the Hollow. He was confident, he had a plan and without Kenpachi in the way Toushiro was sure that he could make it work and be back in his bed by that evening.

Kenpachi walked down a crowded street he had hoped his quarry would go after a crowded area after the abundance of souls. He suddenly felt odd. His spiritual power flowed from a trickle to flooding point. He felt his gigai become even more restraining and his hair began to rise with the expectation of a fight. He looked down at his arm and notice the absence of the limit seal flower.

He began to laugh. A low snicker at first. He stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. His laughter grew louder and his eyes opened wider. He threw his head back and began to laugh hysterically. People around stopped and then hurried away, a crazy man had broken out of the loony bin. Kenpachi didn't care, the kid must have gotten into a fight and called for a limit release. Inadvertently he had removed Kenpachi's too. He to get out of his gigai, it was too restraining and to slow. He ran up five flights of stairs to the top of a nearby building. His gigai fell to the floor and he leaned against the back of the stairwell. He felt a cold breeze and knew that ice dragon of his was itching to be released upon the enemy. He saw the red flash and then felt the tremors of a shockwave pass under his feet. He smiled, an evil smile that meant he was about to have fun. He was suddenly hit by waves of spiritual energy. Even he could feel these they were so strong. He had a destination at last, and also more importantly a target. The kid would be there, but who cared? Kenpachi was going to let the silver haired youngster ruin his fun. It was play time at last for Kenpachi as he bounded over buildings to the fight he had been waiting for.


	5. Endgame

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Ice and Steel

Endgame

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Blue and white spikes collided in the air as Toushiro flew around the hollow, dive bombing and strafing runs to avoid attacks and launch his own. Trying to find a hole in the hollow's defense was like pulling teeth. Slow and painful. Toushiro stabbed hyonimaru down at the hollow. One of its many swirling branches knocked the sword away. He spun with the deflection and brought his sword down into the hollow once more. The sword bounced off the spinning branches again. Toushiro's ice wings flapped and lifted him into the air.

He watched the spinning looking for an opening. Then he saw it a small opening in the defense. Toushiro knew he only had one shot. From his height he dive-bombed toward the hollow. As he charged he heard a laugh, a terrible and predatory laugh. A laugh that went with a smile that Toushiro knew belonged to only one man. The last man Toushiro wanted to see at that moment. Kenpachi Zaraki had arrived.

Kenpachi launched himself off a building at the hollow. His full power was available to him and he laughed as he swung his sword down with bone quaking force. The branches of the hollow stopped spinning to block Kenpachi's blow. A crater appeared around the hollow as it sunk a foot into the ground. Toushiro's sword stabbed straight down into a branch that would not have been there if the branches had kept moving.

Toushiro infuriated yelled at Kenpachi. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"What does it look like kid?" Kenpachi quipped back. He laid into his enemy with another series of blows. The hollow was actually pushed back by the blows. Kenpachi smiled and swung into the hollow again.

Toushiro stared in anger at the huge man as he fought the hollow. Toushiro had been moments away from ending the mission. But once again Kenpachi had ruined it. Toushiro felt his anger boiling over again. He glanced up. Only one and half flowers left. Toushiro didn't have a choice, he charged in after Captain Zaraki.

Kenpachi was holding hard and beating his sword down on the hollow with a disgusting amount of strength. With the limit release Kenpachi could feel his power flowing through him and zanpakto. It was at times like this he wished most that he could learn the name of the monster in his hands and transform it to it's released state and see what kind of fun they could have. But that was a far off dream and one he had neither the patience nor the drive to realize. He could fight now with unmatched power, still though he felt incomplete, he had his name but his partner and tool did not. He knew that pain…

A vicious blow in his blind spot ended Kenpachi's internal reverie. His elation soared, maybe just maybe this hollow had enough of a mind to hit his weak spots and give him a decent fight. Kenpachi watched his blood fly from his body, creating tiny perfect spheres of liquid before splattering across a surface. He had to test his theory on the hollow's mind. He moved with a speed close to flash step, sliding around the hollow. His hair and more specifically the bells in his hair jingled. The hollow followed the sound of the bells and turned with his movement. Kenpachi smiled.

Toushiro sped towards the hollow, his wings opened fully and a flurry of spikes shot from them. The monster roared as it's back was turn into a frozen pincushion. It jumped into the air over Kenpachi and away from Toushiro. As it landed all hell broke loose.

Many things happened all at once. The hollow started to pulse with power. It began to grow filling the street even more with its bulk. It dwarfed both Kenpachi and Toushiro and even the building beside it. Kenpachi in a fit of joy removed his eye patch and let the spirit power flow from him and wash over anyone nearby. And Toushiro's second flower fully evaporated and captain Hitsugaya's final power surged kicked in.

The spirit energy released from the three would have been painful to anyone with spirit awareness. All three had unleashed their full power now that endgame had begun. Kenpachi moved first dodging in and out of the branches on the hollow and running up a thicker branch to tear into the hollow once more. Toushiro dodged the flying branches swung at him. The hollow roared and blasted a cero burst at Toushiro who simply dropped low to avoid its potentially lethal blast. Then he began his own attack. Going straight at the face of the thing he yelled, "Ryusenka!" His zanpakto stabbed into the mask of the hollow and ice spread from the stabbed reaching out in veins and lines covering the mask of the hollow.

With a roar of fury, the hollow swung its head violently, throwing Toushiro away and shattering the ice that was slowly covering it. Toushiro fell through the air unable to catch himself before slamming into the street below.

Kenpachi continued his savage attacks on the hollow, cutting branches and limbs from the hollow with speed and ferocity. Hs ran along the maze of deadly branches avoiding swipes and stabs of the sharpened branches cutting into the hollow allowing its blood to pour from its body. Kenpachi laughed, 'this is the life' he thought.

The hollow focused all of its attention on Kenpachi now. A hail of branches, thorns and razor sharp limbs flew at the hollow's source of pain. Most missed many grazed the soul reaper and yet he kept running, laughing and slicing. Kenpachi reached the mask of the hollow and jumped through the air. He brought his sword down cutting halfway through the mask. Kenpachi backed off surveying the damage.

He would have cut through a hollow entirely but the mask was so vast he simply did not have enough strength or momentum to put his sword all the way down the mask. Blood was jetting from scores of places all over the hollow's body. It let out an earth-shattering roar of pain anger and hatred, then charged diving at Kenpachi.

"Sennen Hyoro, thousand year ice prison," Toushiro walked to the middle of the street as ice from twenty different angles arrested the hollow's charge. He simply stared at the hollow as it was encased in an ice block. Kenpachi could not help but admire the beauty of the ice encasing the hollow.

"Captain Zaraki, I believe you have a job to do," Toushiro yelled. He had had no like nor comradeship with the hulking captain, but his straightforward attacks had distracted the hollow long enough for Toushiro to create the angles to imprison the hollow. So while Toushiro had a strategy, he had created one that let Kenpachi do what he did best, attack without help, constraint or limit at all. "You only sliced half of the mask you were supposed to cut the whole thing."

Kenpachi looked at the kid captain with narrowed eyes. He was a captain of one of the Gotei 13 and yet he was still so childish as to taunt his elders. Kenpachi smirked and jumped towards the face of the hollow. Kenpachi's steel was reflected in the ice as if they had combined, ice and steel fell cutting the hollow's mask. Ice and Steel completed their mission.

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I cannot apologize enough for the corniness of the ending, but it could have been much worse… I think… For all you readers and reviewers I thank you for your support. This is going to be my first completed Fic and I'm happy with it. Sorry it's so short but I really couldn't make it go on much more. I may write a pure comedy epilogue of spin-off where Toushiro and Kenpachi have to go shopping for their vice-captains. I would please ask that you now review my story as a whole, what you thought of the story, my writing style and if you would like to see the shopping comedy. Also in your review tell me if you understood it clearly, I tend to use my oversized vocabulary too much and occasionally incorrectly.

Well that it from me, I'm working on my other fic now, Safeties  
Off.


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